By: SPARK_MRUDY, SparkPeople Blogger
4/8/2019  12:00:00 AM   :  88 comments   :  116,923 views

Most people are raised on the traditional “three square meals” philosophy of eating. There’s breakfast, lunch and dinner—in that order, and each at its own fairly fixed time. But some people—particularly those who are not typically hungry right when they wake up, who are practicing intermittent fasting or simply don’t have time to eat in the mornings—prefer to eat their first meal a little later than most. And, of course, there are those lovely weekend mornings when you have the luxury of sleeping in and then enjoying a leisurely meal somewhere in that relaxed, slow-paced window between breakfast and lunch.
 
Which brings us to brunch.

By: SPARK_MRUDY, SparkPeople Blogger
4/3/2019  12:00:00 AM   :  142 comments   :  95,673 views

“I have a bunch of extra time today, so maybe I’ll spend a couple of hours in the kitchen,”
said no busy person ever.
 
There are plenty of excuses for not cooking at home, but topping the list is lack of time. Between earning a paycheck, tackling the never-ending laundry, driving the non-drivers to wherever they need to be and tending to the constantly unfurling list of to-dos, finding a window in which you can shop for, prep, cook and serve a healthy meal that everyone will actually eat can seem like a recipe for frustration. Time is precious, so might as well order takeout, right?
 
But wait! What if we told you there are plenty of easy, hassle-free weeknight meals that can go from the pantry to the table in less time than it would take for the Uber Eats driver to reach your door?
 
Still skeptical? These 20 simple, speedy recipes come together beautifully (and deliciously) in 20 minutes or less.

By: SPARK_MRUDY, SparkPeople Blogger
3/28/2019  12:00:00 AM   :  77 comments   :  67,828 views

Every minute counts. It’s a philosophy that can be applied to all areas of life—particularly to exercise and fitness. Whether you have 10 minutes or a full hour to devote to physical activity, making the most of that time is essential to achieving the results you want and staying motivated along the way.
 
Of course, how you choose to spend those minutes will also determine how enjoyable (or grueling) they feel. If you hate the treadmill, half an hour will feel like half a day. Similarly, doing the same exercise for an entire workout, day in and day out, could be a recipe for burnout (not to mention the fact that it's an ineffective way to work your body).
 
Enter the EMOM workout. Short for “Every Minute on the Minute,” EMOM essentially involves doing a fixed number of reps of one exercise for a 60-second period, then moving on to the next exercise. If the reps are completed in less than a minute, the remaining time can be used for rest.

By: SPARK_MRUDY, SparkPeople Blogger
3/26/2019  12:00:00 PM   :  125 comments   :  206,520 views

You woke up fairly bright-eyed, fueled up with a healthy breakfast, maybe squeezed in an energizing workout and then cruised through the morning with a decent amount of energy to spare.
 
Then came lunch.
 
There's something about the mid-day meal that seems to drain the energy reserves, leaving you feeling sluggish and sleepy. You might notice your productivity slowing down or screeching to a halt, maybe taking your motivation along with it. As the clock crawls toward 2 or 3 p.m., it could even become a struggle to keep your eyes open. But whether you're juggling work tasks, demanding kiddos or other responsibilities, you probably don't have the luxury of calling a "time-out" on life and crawling into bed for a nap.
 
Time for a trip to the coffee machine? Not necessarily. While it's fine to enjoy an occasional mug of that magical bean-derived elixir, there are other, healthier ways to pull yourself out of the afternoon slump.

By: SP_COACH_DENISE, SparkPeople Blogger
3/25/2019  12:00:00 AM   :  86 comments   :  62,440 views

At SparkPeople, we love helping people accomplish big goals—but we believe it's equally important to celebrate the small successes along the way. Each week in the Spark Spotlight, we'll check in with a featured member about his or her proudest moments, biggest challenges and advice for others on living, thinking and feeling healthier. We hope these quick snapshots will help motivate you to keep moving steadily toward your own goals, week by week.
 
This Week's Spotlight: Robin (RASAYLOR)
Age: 28
Location: Morgan City, Louisiana
 
Small Success of the Week
 
Robin has gone from barely walking six months ago to walking a lot more now, while also cutting down her time for a 5K by about two and a half minutes. She's also celebrating a loss of 14 pounds since January, which will help her reach her ultimate goal! 

By: DAILYSPARKGUEST, – Kirsten Nunez
3/22/2019  12:00:00 AM   :  120 comments   :  81,391 views

We all know what it's like to have one of "those" weeks. Day after day, you wake up late and rush out the door. When it's time to head home, you order takeout before you can even say "5 p.m." You eventually doze off next to clean laundry that needs to be folded and put away, dreaming of that workout you meant to do.

For many, the work week is pure chaos. As a result, it's common for healthy habits to take a back seat.

With the right approach, though, it's possible to set yourself up for a healthier, more balanced work week. The key is to use Sunday—or whatever day you have off—to create future opportunities for positive behaviors. You'd be amazed at what a couple hours of prep work can do for your physical, mental and emotional health during the next few days.